Most recently, especially on these editorial pages, the delicate balance between the two has been lost -- columnists have forgotten the campus, myself included, and been engrossed in trying to solve issues of national importance. Though war with Iraq and the possibility of a continued recession may be of importance to our own political stances, we have done a disservice to this school by mobilizing our efforts away from precisely the place where we, as students, can enact positive change -- right here, right now.

Wake Forest students seemingly have a continual passive-aggressive complex. Not a day goes by without hearing some complaint about how the school is run, the way a professor grades a test, or the lack of non-Greek social events. Aside from personal gripes, most complaints are legitimate and often merit a wider discussion than just the passing observation on the way to class. Yet most students seem content to leave their feelings at the door instead of finding a way to deal with the problem. It takes much less work to spout off complaints than find plausible solutions to them.

The one issue that continually arises among students is the divisional requirements system. Here, Wake Forest is caught between its desire to maintain equilibrium between its twin images as a small liberal arts school and a large university with many amenities. On this point of contention, the administration would be wise to make the jump to large university. The divisional system is the source of more frustration than knowledge, lower GPAs, and more summer school sessions than job experiences.

We, as students, are constantly told about the virtues of this system; however, within those virtues also lay its pitfalls. It has been said that the exposure to various coursework will help us decide on our major. Why then, if a student determines an interest in politics, is the student not released from his obligations in math and science?

Secondly, this same exposure has been said to widen our academic horizons. True, but then why are the divisional courses so restrictive? Again, a politics major would have much more use in today's modern world with a religion course dealing with Islamic theocracy rather than sitting through an introductory Bible course, even more so accounting the school's overwhelming Christian make-up.

Adjunct to the divisional system is that of open curriculum. Over half of the current freshman class is probably wondering what open curriculum is now that I mention it. This program is designed to accomplish exactly my latter point in the previous paragraph -- provide qualified students with the opportunity to substitute other courses for divisional requirements. Now that I have every freshman's attention, the next application deadline is March 1, 2003.

There are three problems with open curriculum -- it is not promoted adequately, its definition of 'qualified students' changes each semester, and it will not allow students to use it for the purposes of double majoring. There is no reason why any freshmen should be hearing open curriculum for the first time through this column. If you are, my first point is proven. There is also no reason why a student with a 3.4 GPA, a high school background in Aristotelian rhetoric and a determined double major in business and Spanish should receive a denial due to "insufficient intellectual justification."

If open curriculum wants to set specific standards for entrance, it would be no trouble at all; however, acting as a second admissions committee for those already accepted to Wake Forest for their academic excellence is inexplicable.

Positive change, right here, right now. The administration of this university does not have the same perspective as we, the students, do. We all know that Dr. Hearn retains three parking spaces in front of Benson, yet most students know of no visible progress in solving our parking problem. With each day that rains, every student comes in contact with the huge drainage problems this campus faces on the Quads and in parking lots. Where can we go to solve these problems?

This university was founded to educate us, the students. It was created to increase our knowledge so that we can enter the 'real world' well prepared to deal with the challenges of tomorrow. It was not made to fill the wallets of top-level administration, or to let campus debate be overshadowed by professor salary and healthcare issues.

Positive change, right here, right now. We must prove that this is our school by shedding our apathy towards its everyday functions and actively participating in its development. If we cannot at the very least feign interest in our immediate surroundings, there is no possible way that we will become informed citizens of the greater 'real world.'

Maybe after an open debate on vital campus issues between the administration, faculty and students, we can argue with clarity the war with Iraq. But right now, the editorial scales need a little bit of balancing back to the only world most of us know -- Wake Forest, right here, right now.

Doug Hutton is a sophomore who plans to major in political science.